R&B band formed at Edison High School in 1965 to perform tunes

"It was like a state holiday in Texas in the '70s," said Carter. "It's really big there. Whole cities close down."

Carter was aware of the African-American historical occasion while growing up in Stockton. However, not until the California Malibus became popular while touring Texas, Oklahoma and the South in the 1970s did he begin to appreciate its full cultural significance.

Now, finally, his R&B-soul vocal group - formed at Edison High School in 1965 - performs during a Stockton Juneteenth event Saturday. For the first time. The Malibus do two shows supported by the Valley Rhythm Section.

"We've been trying to get together with people here for years," said Carter, whose quartet sang June 14 at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln. "Since 1996. We're gonna do a lotta soulful stuff from the beginning. Bring back some memories, though a lot of us have passed on.

"There are gonna be a lot of fond memories. I hope to see people I haven't seen in years. We'll just work hard and do our thing."

That still includes Motown-inspired dance moves that grandfathers Carter, 70, Richard Tarkington, 68, and Ronald Tarkington, 66, flash as they harmonize on their vintage soul and R&B tunes. They're joined by Tonya Williams (Sweet).

Carter, whose West Coast Blues Hall of Fame group developed its loyal following mostly away from home, also is pleased the Malibus are doing a show in their former south-side neighborhood. They once performed regularly at Stockton's Flamingo club.

"Coming up, we weren't really that aware," Carter said of Juneteenth's legacy as the Emancipation Proclamation's formal, final stamp in 1865. "We knew of it. Ralph Lee White (once their manager) used to tell us about it. We weren't really aware until we went down South.

"I first went to Texas looking for people riding horses and everything. It reminds me of how far we've come as a people. When you look around now compared to the way it used to be. We loved Texas and Oklahoma. The way they would greet us."

The young Carter found black business owners, thriving black communities and even "black" radio stations that played the Malibus' records ("I Stand Alone" and "Love of My Life," both original songs).

They often performed from 10 a.m. until 4 a.m. with Etta James, Denise LaSalle and Archie Bell & the Drells.

"We always worked." Carter said. "One time in San Antonio, they kept us there for six months."

The Malibus are in San Antonio's music hall of fame. They sang during Amarillo's 2011 Juneteenth festival.

"We did do well in the South," Carter said. "We've got a pretty good name down South. They really took a liking to us. We were very popular. Anything we recorded they played. If they like you, they treat you well. We even had a fan club. They still come out to see us."

That won't change during Stockton's 39th Juneteenth Event on Saturday.

Contact Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or tsauro@recordnet.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsaurorecord.

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